Herb: Polish Wheat


Latin name: Triticum turgidum polonicum


Synonyms: Triticum polonicum


Family: Gramineae (Grass Family)



Edible parts of Polish Wheat:

Seed - cooked. It is usually ground into a flour and used as a cereal. High in gluten. The large seeds are suitable for making macaroni but not for bread. The grain falls readily from the ears, it is of no value for milling.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Annual


Flowering:
June
to July

Habitat of the herb:

Developed through cultivation, it is not known in a truly wild location.

Other uses of Polish Wheat:

The straw has many uses, as a biomass for fuel etc, for thatching, as a mulch in the garden etc. A fibre obtained from the stems is used for making paper. The stems are harvested in late summer after the seed has been harvested, they are cut into usable pieces and soaked in clear water for 24 hours. They are then cooked for 2 hours in lye or soda ash and then beaten in a ball mill for 1? hours in a ball mill. The fibres make a green-tan paper. The starch from the seed is used for laundering, sizing textiles etc. It can also be converted to alcohol for use as a fuel.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - sow early spring or autumn in situ and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within a few days.

Cultivation of Polish Wheat:

Developed through cultivation, it is not known in a truly wild location.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Triticum turgidum polonicum:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.